Charlotte Holmes
by Word Professor
Summary: There is a reason we don't hear much about Sherlock and Mycroft's childhood. They both lost many dear to them. They may have let down their only sister Charlotte. That's why they never talk about her. This is a story of how Charlotte drifted away but then found herself being bossed by Sherlock and Mycroft once again. I don't think I'm doing it justice with this summary. xx
1. Chapter 1

**hey guys. here is something that I ended up writing whilst in the doctor's waiting room.**

**I probably will carry on.**

**I hope you enjoy it and please feedback good or bad, I appreciate it xxxxxxx**

**The Past**

Mummy had been ill for a very long time but it had been on going and Sherlock and Mycroft were acting as if wasn't serious either.

I was sixteen at the time, I a difficult time as well. Mummy was ill, my first boyfriend had been scared off by Mycroft and Sherlock, I was going through changes and my mother wasn't well enough to talk to me about it.

One day though the doctor came on a home visit and I was about to go into the room as well but Sherlock and Mycroft shut the door on me. I had no idea what was going on. When the doctor came back out he looked forlorn and so did Sherlock and Mycroft .

I was going to go in to see her when Sherlock put a hand on my shoulder and said.

"Best just to let her rest at the moment"

" What's going on?" I said as my eyes filled up with tears.

"Nothing, everything will be fine" he said, he then walked away without a single word.

Two days later, it seemed like the world had stopped. I cannot even bring myself to say it. The worst happened.

First Father, then Mother. I found out when I came into the landing in the morning and I could hear murmuring from Mummy's room. The door opened and I saw the clinical white sheet over the body and the doctor speaking to Mycroft. I would not believe it. I refused to believe it. I was rooted to the spot on the landing until they saw me standing there. They didn't say anything. But their faces said it all.

The only thing I could think to do was run do the oak tree at the back of the field behind the house, Mummy helped me find that secret place. No one else knew about it. Except on person.

It was somewhere I could cry and be alone.

I had been sitting under the tree until I saw Sherlock's lanky figure approaching. His face was tear stained. This was scary because I had never seen him or Mycroft cry.

He sat down next to me and just looked out at the field. There was nothing either of us could say. What could we say?

"What happens now?"

I said through a dry throat.

"We wait, all we have is each other right now" then I leaned my head on his shoulder and we sat there until it went dark.

The funeral is something I cannot talk about. It is a void, an abyss in my memory. I cannot even think about the wreaths, the black coats, the service without a twisting pain in my stomach. But I do need to tell you about the other thing that happened that day. It was a turning point.

After all the relatives had left and I started clearing up. Mycroft actually spoke to me.

"Come and sit down with me Charlotte please." He said in the most caring voice I had ever heard him use.

I did as he asked and sat on the chair opposite him. Sherlock came and sat on a chair next to Mycroft.

I just looked at the knot of wood in the table, not knowing what to say or do anymore. I guessed that they were doing the same. Until Mycroft brought us back to reality.

" Its been a difficult time for us all..." My eyes started filling with tears again. " But we must go on, its what Mummy would have wanted. As you know Charlotte, I work away often and I may be moving permanently soon" at this my head shot up. I saw there was no reaction from Sherlock.

"Also Sherlock will be starting university" I looked at Sherlock who was looking down. I knew where this was going but I didn't want to believe it. " That will leave no one to look after you-"

" I can look after my self I'm fine!" I interjected as panic grew in me.

" It wouldn't be fair on you. We have found a brilliant boarding school for you, St Anne's-"

"A boarding school! You're sending me away!?" My voice grew but then faltered to sobs. "Its the best thing for you, we're doing it for your own good." He said as he rose from his chair. I then looked at Sherlock who had been silent this whole time.

"What happened to 'all we have is each other'?" I asked as I rose from my seat as well. Sherlock just looked at me with tear filled eyes. As I ran out of the room, I heard him shout my name.

Five days later I was sat in my room ready for my departure. Mycroft knocked on the door but didn't wait for a reply and came in and sat next to me. We had never had a brilliant brother/sister relationship because I barely ever saw him and it always felt formal when we talked. But he was different today.

"I know you're upset Charlotte but there really isn't any alternative. I would look after you if I could! But let's face it, I'm not doing a great job at the moment am I? " He said.

Believe it or not, that was the most open he had ever been with me. And it made me happy.

"Your not that bad Mycroft" I said, then we both laughed.

"I haven't been a good brother to you have I Charlotte?"

"Its not you fault, and besides, your the brains of this family, we would be lost without you" I put my arm through his. This was the closest we had ever been, and the last time we would be.

" I want you to know Charlotte that I'll always be there for you, all you have to do is call and I'll be there" A tear rolled down his cheek. Proof that Mycroft Holmes has a heart.

So I hugged him, and I didn't want to let go. He took me downstairs to see Sherlock who was sat on his own at the table.

He left us alone to talk.

"You alright Sherlock?" I said trying to sound cheerful.

"Its not me I'm worried about" he said looking at me.

"This is the only choice there is" I had try to convince myself but I was still upset.

I had always been closer to Sherlock and we sometimes knew what the other was feeling. We both gave each other an embrace as we waited until the driver came to take me away to St Anne's.

As I drove away, my brothers waved at me. I couldn't believe that that was the last time I saw them.

**thanks for reading x drop a review if you have time :)**


	2. Chapter 2

After finishing A Levels I did not wait to see if they would finally come to pick me up, I didn't want to feel the disappointment again.

I had enjoyed an English Literature degree at Warwick University and I pursued a career in publishing. But I was starting to feel like Bridget Jones as I had very little luck with men and I missed my brothers so much.

Mycroft posted his and Sherlock's details once and I almost did nearly give them a ring or visit. But I was scared that they might be angry or upset. I wanted them to be part of my life, and it hurt me every time I would see John Watson's blog because it reminded me of the family I had lost and the fun me, Sherlock and Mycroft used to have before mummy became ill.

But on one Monday morning on my birthday, I received a long awaited voice mail...

**John's Point Of View**

On Monday morning I walked into the living room to find Sherlock looking paler than ever with his head in his hands. This wasn't an unusual sight but he didn't even try to comment on my choice of sweater which was unusual.

"What's up Sherlock, missing your cigarettes, you're doing well at the moment" this normally got a response. But this time he just slowly got up and walked over to the window and just stared into the distance.

"Ok... Have crime rates decreased or something..." This didn't work either so I knew something must be up.

Just when I was about to inquire, I noticed an open photo album on the sofa. I thought Sherlock wasn't sentimental.

"I didn't know you kept photographs Sherlock" he turned around and I then realised that his eyes were red. Was he crying?

"John, I haven't told you everything about myself, about my family" he said as he gestured me to sit down. Feeling worried and shocked to see Sherlock in this state I did as he asked.

"As you you know, there is me and Mycroft"

"Yes..."

"There's a third Holmes, another sibling" he looked at me to see my response.

He had another sibling! Why hadn't he or Mycroft mentioned this? I was about to ask but it was as if Sherlock had read my mind.

"We have a younger sister named Charlotte" the pain in his voice as he said this startled me, I had never seen him this emotional. He picked up the photo album and handed it to me.

I awkwardly accepted it and began to flick through. I could recognise a yound Sherlock and Mycroft in the pictures. There was also a third person, a young girl, who in many of the pictures looked adoringly at her brothers. The one that stood out was a photograph in which the three siblings are pretending to be Charlie's Angels and are doing the famous pose. They looked like the happiest family.

I looked at Sherlock who was now pacing about the room. With sensitivity, I asked: "what happened to her?" For a second it was as if was asking himself that, then he turned around to me and with a deep breath, told me.

"When mummy died... Mycroft was going back to work and I was starting university..." He faltered for a moment. "There was no one to look after Charlotte and we didn't want to send he to the boarding school, but we had no choice" I can't believe that Sherlock was telling me all this, he had never been this open before.

"We had promised to visit her, but soon Mycroft got promoted and had even less time on his hands and I... Well university had introduced me to some 'substances' I was in no state to see her" he stopped, then before I could say anything he carried on.

"By the time of her A-level results I had sorted myself out and I and Mycroft were going to see her. She wasn't there when we got there and that's when we realised we had really messed up... And that she probably didn't want to see us, well, and today is her birthday, and ... I want to see her." He sat back down and looked through his photographs again.

"I see..." I had no idea how to deal with this situation.

"How will you contact her?" I said with sincere sensitivity.

"Mycroft gave me her phone number but she wasn't answering so I left a voicemail asking her to come to 221B and well I didn't really know what else to say" he looked at me as if he was asking for advice.

"Well what time did you ask her to come?"

"I said around 4:30 today, I don't know if she'll come though" he said as he sighed.

"Don't give up hope, well if she's coming, you better tidy this place up" he looked up with a new spark of hope in his eyes.

"Yes you do that whilst I get a birthday present and buy some of those mini cake things that she used to like, I'll tell Mycroft to come as well"

"Why do I have to tidy up-" he had already leaped down the stairs and was gone. But I knew how much this meant to Sherlock so I cleaned the place up a bit.

Wow, this was massive, I can't believe that there was a third Holmes sibling.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

**Charlotte POV**

All day I was thinking about the voicemail. When I listened to it just before going out to work, I couldn't believe my ears. I replayed it several times to make sure it was all real, but his voice sounded sad.

At work I was debating whether to go or not. I really wanted to see my brothers, but what would I say, I could imagine the whole situation being awkward and uncomfortable.

At lunch time I finally decided that I would go, but first I had to get time off from my boss.

"Hey Mr Delaney, I was wondering if I could finish early at like quarter past three today?" I asked hopefully.

"We've got an important book release in two days Charlotte, we need all the editorial team here"

"I know but I've got a very important appointment that I can't miss" I looked at him hopefully and then he looked back me and sighed.

"Fine, I feel like an evil bastard when I say no to you"

"Thanks Mr Delaney"

"Its fine now off you go"

Once that was all sorted I couldn't concentrate on my work all day. As the clock struck quarter past three I rushed out of the office and made my way to 221B Baker Street.

**Johns POV**

Sherlock got back at about one and I had cleared away all the newspapers, random papers and hoovered the floor.

He bounded in with an ASDA bag and a neatly wrapped gift box.

"What did you get her Sherlock" I said trying to sound cheerful to keep him hopeful.

"I had a picture framed, the Charlie's Angels one that she made me and Mycroft pose for once"

"Good idea, well, I err cleaned up" I said holding up my hands. He looked around approvingly, then stopped short when he saw the skull he had only just got back after months of begging Mrs Hudson.

"Maybe we should put the skull away" he said with his hand on his chin as if it was the biggest dilemma in the world.

"You only just got it back"

"Yes but I don't want her to get like, freaked out... I'll just put it away just in case" this was so weird, I have never seen Sherlock like this, he is definitely never been like this with Mycroft.

"Is Mycroft coming?" I asked as he put the skull in his bedroom.

"Yeah, he should be here soon"

A few hours had passed and both brothers were getting nervous. Sherlock was pacing back and forth and occasionally rearranged the biscuits and cakes on the plate, Mycroft would sit down for a few minutes, but then get up and swing his umbrella or sigh.

I asked if they wanted privacy but they said they wanted me to stay, so I did. So now we were just waiting.

**Charlotte POV**

The traffic was horrendous, and I was worried that I might be late. Finally though, my Satnav indicated that I was getting close and I was getting nervous.

Finally I pulled up outside 221B Baker Street. I sat still for a few moments letting myself calm down, then I got out and knocked on the large black door...

**John POV**

There was knock at the door and both Sherlock and Mycroft looked terrified. We heard Mrs Hudson open the door and there was a murmuring and then footsteps up the stairs.

Sherlock and Mycroft looked at the door as if it might suddenly fall off its hinges. A figure approached the door and then entered the light of the room.

There was a young woman who looked just as shell shocked as Mycroft and Sherlock. She was quite shorter than Sherlock and Mycroft and her hair was in shiny mahogany ringlets, bouncing of her shoulders.

She looked around, and there was moment of complete silence.

**Charlotte POV**

I looked at the three people in the room. I instantly recognised Sherlock with his ridiculously enhanced cheekbones, he still looked thin but not unhealthy. Mycroft was there as well! He looked aloof with his chin up and had an umbrella tie and an umbrella in his hand. There was also a third man dressed in a sweater and jeans. This I presumed was John Watson.

After a few moments of taking everything in I decided to break the intense hush.

"Hello" I said simply. It really was awkward. Mycroft stepped forward and held out his hand and said "hello Charlotte" I took his hand. It was the same familiar hand that walked me to my first day of high school but also the same hand that dragged me away from David Jones, the boy he caught me kissing. Then overcome with emotion, I hugged my brother whom I had missed for ten years and I sobbed into his suit and he kissed the top of my head. This was not how I thought I would react. I pulled my self away and turned to look at Sherlock who was stood awkwardly and was looking at the ground.

**John POV**

Charlotte and Sherlock were silent for a few moments. And from the corner of my eye I thought I saw Mycroft shed a tear. Then Sherlock got his gift box and held it out and said "happy birthday Charlotte".

Charlotte looked at the box then at Sherlock then walked towards him. She took the box in her hands and thanked him then she put the box aside and just hugged Sherlock. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her chin on his shoulder and cried. Sherlock, The Sherlock Holmes, cried into her hair. This scene somehow turned into a group hug between the three siblings.

Sherlock then wiped his eyes and said "Charlotte, I'd like you to meet my friend John Watson" Charlotte came over and shook my hand warmly.

"Lovely to meet you, I've read you blog"

"Really! That's great"

"You're really popular at the office, you're like the blogging sensation"

"Wow that's brilliant"

We all just looked at each other in disbelief. The Holmes siblings were reunited at last.

**please drop in a little review xx**


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